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Techopedia set out to report the inclusion gaps that women face in the cybersecurity industry. Several weeks ago we put out a call for experts to comment on the issue. The number of responses we got was overwhelming.<\/p>\n
While, unfortunately, we cannot publish all the testimonies to honor and recognize the multitude of voices worth listening to carefully, we begin this investigative report with two of the most impacting testimonies we received.<\/p>\n
Monique Becenti<\/strong><\/a>, Director of Product at <\/strong>Zimperium<\/strong><\/a>, told Techopedia:<\/p>\n \u201cIn my nearly eight-year journey in the cybersecurity industry, I’ve faced various challenges, particularly early in my career. Gender stereotypes often led to being underestimated or overlooked, hindering my progress.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile I’ve been fortunate to have supportive superiors who valued individuals based on their contributions, navigating interactions with certain male counterparts proved more challenging.<\/p>\n \u201cIn some instances, my work was undervalued, and I encountered disrespectful behavior in public settings. These experiences were uncomfortable, requiring resilience and a tough skin to navigate.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Poornima DeBolle<\/strong><\/a>, Co-founder and Chief Product Officer at <\/strong>Menlo Security<\/strong><\/a>, added:<\/p>\n \u201cAs a woman working in the cybersecurity field, I can say that women certainly experience challenges in the workplace, and it happens more often than I care to count.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I am in customer or partner meetings, people on the other side of the table will engage and ask follow-up questions with my team members in the meeting rather than me.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I have great allies on my team who gently redirect the question back to me. It has happened enough times that we are all well-versed in handling these situations.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n So, how can organizations transform this dire exclusion into a healthy state of inclusion in 2024?<\/p>\n